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What is this rockfish?

Here's one for all you rockfish people out there, and one I sure wish I'd gotten a better picture of. I caught this guy about a week ago out near "4th of July" and can't seem to figure out what it was. It looks kind of like a "Northern" rockfish (Sebastes polyspinis), but this guy was at least 20" to 24" long and the maximum length of a "Northern" is listed as 15". Any ideas?unknown rockfish.jpg

That's one that I primarily ruled out because according to most rockfish ID's Duskys only get to about 16" or so maximum length. It was EASILY 20" if not 22" to 24" or so. VERY long. It also had a VERY prominent "knob" on its chin (if you look closely at the pic you'll see what I mean---it's kind of hidden by the net) which I've never seen in a Dusky. Another thing that made me rule out a Dusky is that the area between the eyes is concave. On Duskys that area is convex. ALSO, on a Dusky the anal fin is either vertical or slanted forward. That guy's anal fin is definitely slanted backward.

I thought possibly a "Bocaccio" or a "Silvergray" but the color doesn't look quite right on it for either of those.

Thanks all. I'd have to agree on the silvergray. I was a bit confused when I looked it up in Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest. The description, and picture, they have makes it sound as though the silvergray is actually "silvery gray" or "greenish" and I'm not sure I'd consider the fish I caught to be "silvery grey" or "greenish", but I guess it depends on your viewpoint.

Now the million dollar question. Are they a "pelagic" or "non-pelagic" rockfish? Any definitive answers? I know I usually advise people here to shy away from legal answers you get from people on this forum, but I'm just curious what anyone has to say here.

Definately Silvergray and a non-palegic. Out of Seward only 1 per person per day. My first time fishing in Alaska, I made the mistake of not having my rockfish ID chart and figured they were black rockfish. Big mistake as I was kindly educated by ADFG at the dock as my kids and I were taking pictures.

Definately Silvergray and a non-palegic. Out of Seward only 1 per person per day. My first time fishing in Alaska, I made the mistake of not having my rockfish ID chart and figured they were black rockfish. Big mistake as I was kindly educated by ADFG at the dock as my kids and I were taking pictures.

And exactly WHY do you think they "definately" are "non-pelagic" please? Just because someone that you say was an "ADFG" representative told you they were!?

And what exactly do you think makes it legal to only take "1 per person per day" in an area that is "Out of Seward"!?!? You are feeding people information that could be WRONG if they are fishing in certain areas. Yoiu could go out to Johnstone Bay from Seward and catch 2 non-pelagic rockfish and be perfectly legal (and no one PLEASE take that as a "license" to do so just because I said it's OK to do. READ THE REGS!!!! I could be wrong!!!!!)

I have been fishing in AK for 21 years now and I have NEVER had someone come to the dock as I was offloading fish and say they were from "ADFG". I have had wildlife troopers question me, the Coast Guard question me, and had ADF&G creel count reps ask me about the fish I've caught and ask for scale samples and such, but I have never had an "ADFG" representative question me about the fish I've caught.

And "out of Seward" is one of the most misleading statements in the world when it comes to fish ID and any question regarding limits or such. You could go out west of Gore Pt. from Seward and the regs past Gore Pt. are completely different than those out near Montague. Or you could go from Seward over to Valdez and be in a completely different set of rules than if you fish in Resurrection Bay. "Out of Seward" as to where you were fishing is total nonsense.

People, PLEASE know the regs for exactly where you plan on fishing AND where you bring your fish into. You will "definately" (and I assume that means "definitely") be doing yourself a favor to know EXACTLY what the regulations are for where you are fishing. PLEASE don't take the word of someone you don't know and have never met what the regulations are for a particular area.

It's in the fishing regulations!

Maybe some people should learn to read the fishing regs before keeping a fish they can't identify.
Clearly says in the fishing regs that Silvergray rockfish are a NON-PELAGIC ROCKFISH.
That is not the word from some guy on an internet forum but, directly from the Alaska fishing regulations. Including a picture.
You would think a fishing guide would know better!http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/re...rockfishID.pdf
Do a little research before chastising somebody for what they say. They just might be right!

Silver grey. I guess they should include a fish ID quiz with with the issue of every guide license, to make sure the "guides" know how to log the fish. BTW, I put a 33" Silvergrey in the boat this year. Freaky big fish.

Out of Seward would mean out of Seward...out of Whittier is out of Whittier...and so on. If he mentioned he was fishing far from port it might make more sense to go on a rant but he said Seward and if you were to look at the regs it's one fish in Seward.

And exactly WHY do you think they "definately" are "non-pelagic" please? Just because someone that you say was an "ADFG" representative told you they were!?

And what exactly do you think makes it legal to only take "1 per person per day" in an area that is "Out of Seward"!?!? You are feeding people information that could be WRONG if they are fishing in certain areas. Yoiu could go out to Johnstone Bay from Seward and catch 2 non-pelagic rockfish and be perfectly legal (and no one PLEASE take that as a "license" to do so just because I said it's OK to do. READ THE REGS!!!! I could be wrong!!!!!)

I have been fishing in AK for 21 years now and I have NEVER had someone come to the dock as I was offloading fish and say they were from "ADFG". I have had wildlife troopers question me, the Coast Guard question me, and had ADF&G creel count reps ask me about the fish I've caught and ask for scale samples and such, but I have never had an "ADFG" representative question me about the fish I've caught.

And "out of Seward" is one of the most misleading statements in the world when it comes to fish ID and any question regarding limits or such. You could go out west of Gore Pt. from Seward and the regs past Gore Pt. are completely different than those out near Montague. Or you could go from Seward over to Valdez and be in a completely different set of rules than if you fish in Resurrection Bay. "Out of Seward" as to where you were fishing is total nonsense.

People, PLEASE know the regs for exactly where you plan on fishing AND where you bring your fish into. You will "definately" (and I assume that means "definitely") be doing yourself a favor to know EXACTLY what the regulations are for where you are fishing. PLEASE don't take the word of someone you don't know and have never met what the regulations are for a particular area.

"Yoiu" (and I assume that means "you") seem to have a pretty big head of steam for someone that's ASKING for information.

If you fish "out of Seward" is it safe to assume that most people would return to Seward at the end of their trip? If so, wouldn't it be wise to make sure that they only retain a limit of fish that is legal for North Gulf Coast waters? After all, Seward is not located in Kenai Peninsula or Prince William Sound salt waters, where the rockfish limits may be different.

And exactly WHY do you think they "definately" are "non-pelagic" please? Just because someone that you say was an "ADFG" representative told you they were!?

And what exactly do you think makes it legal to only take "1 per person per day" in an area that is "Out of Seward"!?!? You are feeding people information that could be WRONG if they are fishing in certain areas. Yoiu could go out to Johnstone Bay from Seward and catch 2 non-pelagic rockfish and be perfectly legal (and no one PLEASE take that as a "license" to do so just because I said it's OK to do. READ THE REGS!!!! I could be wrong!!!!!)

I have been fishing in AK for 21 years now and I have NEVER had someone come to the dock as I was offloading fish and say they were from "ADFG". I have had wildlife troopers question me, the Coast Guard question me, and had ADF&G creel count reps ask me about the fish I've caught and ask for scale samples and such, but I have never had an "ADFG" representative question me about the fish I've caught.

And "out of Seward" is one of the most misleading statements in the world when it comes to fish ID and any question regarding limits or such. You could go out west of Gore Pt. from Seward and the regs past Gore Pt. are completely different than those out near Montague. Or you could go from Seward over to Valdez and be in a completely different set of rules than if you fish in Resurrection Bay. "Out of Seward" as to where you were fishing is total nonsense.

People, PLEASE know the regs for exactly where you plan on fishing AND where you bring your fish into. You will "definately" (and I assume that means "definitely") be doing yourself a favor to know EXACTLY what the regulations are for where you are fishing. PLEASE don't take the word of someone you don't know and have never met what the regulations are for a particular area.

fer crissakes Dave, if you want to pick a fight so bad head down to the coffee shop and talk politics.....

Geez Mutt, I don't normally say much about your discussions, but you might think a little about taking a "chill pill" before you let your fingers do your walking, er uh, typing. It is just an internet forum. You are causing yourself un-needed stress it seems to me. Share your good info that you do and leave it at that.